Causes of Cerebral Palsy

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Cerebral palsy is a birth brain injury, often due to lack of oxygen. Most cases of cerebral palsy are caused by medical negligence during pregnancy or during or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy is therefore considered a birth injury, and is almost always preventable.

During pregnancy
Circumstances and medical errors made during pregnancy which can lead to cerebral palsy include:

• Failure to detect and address Rh incompatibility
• Failure to treat infection in mother
• Failure to treat infection in the baby
• Untreated kidney and urinary tract infections in the mother
• Toxicity from inappropriate medications during pregnancy

During childbirth
While a woman is in labor and giving birth, it is standard procedure to monitor both the mother and the fetus. Changes in the baby’s heart rate are a sign of distress. Medical errors which occurring during delivery, which can cause cerebral palsy include:

• Failure to properly monitor the mother
• Failure to properly monitor fetus
• Failure to respond to fetal distress
• Umbilical cord strangulation
• Fetal stroke
• Administration of inappropriate or wrongly dosed medications, including those used to induce labor
• Inappropriate use of forceps
• Placenta prematurely sheared
• Dystocia
• Baby stuck in birth canal
• Delayed c-section

After delivery
The first few minutes, hours, and days after a baby is born are critical to normal, healthy development. Mistakes made during that time in a healthy baby, and problems or conditions which are overlooked, can cause permanent injury or death. Post-delivery causes of cerebral palsy can include:

• Excessive haste and force in handling the baby
• Dropping the baby
• Failure to recognize respiratory distress
• Failure to provide oxygen when needed
• Malfunctioning or improperly applied respiratory support
• Failure to treat jaundice
• Failure to treat pneumonia
• Failure to treat seizures
• Failure to treat brain infection
• Improperly delivered nutritional support

Premature babies are even more likely to encounter complications which, if not treated quickly, can cause brain injuries and cerebral palsy. These complications include:

• Infections
• Fever
• Seizures
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Respiratory distress
• Heart problems
• Blood pressure problems
• Circulation problems
• Meconium aspiration
• Bleeding

Normal monitoring of both the mother and the baby during pregnancy and childbirth can alert doctors to the risk factors which may lead to cerebral palsy. Detection of these risk factors and proper, timely care can prevent birth injury.

If your child has Cerebral Palsy, please contact The Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Network for a free initial consultation and evaluation of your case.